2016 Session Has Begun

Session has started, and I’m currently working on multiple bills that will serve the community and better our state as a whole.

HB 262 – Senior Citizen Activities Center Operating Fund will provide extra funds to Senior Centers throughout our state, and redistribute the funding based on each county’s share of population of senior citizens and on the population of senior citizens in each county with income that falls below the federal poverty level. Making sure our senior citizens have the support they need is important for our entire state, and this bill will provide the means necessary to ensure everyone is receiving the level of care and independence they deserve. The hearing for this bill will be February 9th at 1:00pm.

HB 400 – Tuition Waivers for Foster Care Recipients and Unaccompanied Homeless Youth is going to make sure every child in foster care and all unaccompanied homeless youth receive tuition waivers to public institutions of higher education. These children are the most vulnerable, and it’s our responsibility to make sure they have fair and equal access to education. The hearing for this bill will be February 25that 1:00pm.

HB 742 – Water Service Shut Off Protection Act will require providers of water services to mail notices when temporarily shutting off service, prohibit providers from shutting off service unless they have posted notices, require that the reasons for the shut off to clearly be stated on the notice along with what action can be taken to avoid the shut off and additional information of payment plans or financial assistance available, and requiring the provider to return service once the cause for the shut off has been taken care of. Water is a right, and we must protect our citizens from wrongfully losing access to water services. The hearing for this bill will be February 24th, at 1:00pm.

HB 397 – Best Practices in the Administration of Assessments is focused on making sure our school systems are creating tests and administering them in a way that will best serve our students. This bill will create guidelines for how tests are administered and make sure that tests and assessments effectively measure critical thinking skills, complex skills, subject mastery and provide an accurate measure of student achievement. It will also make sure there is a level playing field for English language learners and students who receive special education accommodations. The hearing for this bill will be February 25th at 1:00pm.

There are plenty of other bills I’m currently working on, and the best way to keep up to date with what I’m doing is to follow my Facebook or Twitter. As always, I am here to work for the people I represent, and I want to hear from you and make sure I’m taking care of all your concerns!